Postpartum And Pediatric Care:
Careful management of the pregnantbitch (prenatal period), birth of the pups (parturition) and the postpartum (neonatal) period is critical to assure the bestpossible outcome. In other words,YOU are in control of your puppies’ destiny.Carefully handled, you can set a goalof raising 100% of your puppies.Unfortunately, the veterinary literature oftenreports a “normal” death loss of up to40% in the first 4 weeks of life. The goal ofthis information is to arm you withammunition you need to maximize your successrate. We cannot expect ourbitches and puppies to thrive unless we manage theirhealth, nutrition andenvironment carefully.
It is critical to keep the pups warm withsupplemental heat at this point – we usea towel and heating pad on low andwrap the pup like a taco while doing theinitial handling and drying. The umbilicalcord can be clamped and tied withthread or dental floss, cut 3/4″ from theabdominal wall, and treated with iodine toprevent infection. Theplacenta/umbilical cord can be left attached if the pups arebeing deliveredquickly. The pups should be left with the bitch if possible duringsubsequentdeliveries to nurse, as this nursing will stimulate uterine contractions.
If the pupsmust be separated from the mother, they should be kept warm byplacing them inthe chest pocket of a shirt turned wrong side out. (You or anassistant wears theshirt, not the bitch!) This avoids burns associated withexternal heat sourcemisuse and your movement will keep the pup stimulated. Ifthe pups seemreluctant to nurse or are crying, a rectal temperature should betaken and if it isunder 97 degrees, they should be warmed up to 97 degreesprior to feeding. If therectal temperature exceeds 99 degrees, this indicatesoverheating or illness.
Environmental temperatures should be checked with a thermometer. Puppies donot have the mechanism to maintain their own body temperature. The areashouldbe 80 to 90 degrees the first week and dropped 5 degrees a week untilweaning.Specialized whelping nests are available commercially which provide acontrolled and safe heat source. Light bulbs, heat lamps, hot water bottles, towelwrapped heating pads, or incubators can be used with caution to keep the pupswarm. Only half of the box should be warmed so as to allow the pups and motherto move to warmer or cooler areas to best suit their needs.
Once (or more daily ifthe pups are not thriving), at the same time each day, thepups should be weighedand have a rectal temperature taken, recording it tomonitor for adequate nursingand weight gain. At least once a day, you shouldreally LOOK and LISTEN to yourlitter. Pick up the puppies, roll them over, feelhow they hold their body, their bodycondition, their attitude and their generalappearance. Don’t worry – Mom shouldlet you do this and she won’t rejectthem. After all, you tend to her needs and shelooks to you for this.
Stools should be formed, light brown with a yellow–seedyappearance. Urinecolor should be assessed on a cotton ball at least once dailyto monitor foradequatenursing and dehydration. The urine should be pale yellowin color. If the urine isdarker yellow in color, this signifies dehydration. If the pupsfail to gain weight,are fussy or weak, the urine is dark, the stools are abnormal, orthe pups do nothave good body tone, contact your veterinarian.
The first week oflife is the time of greatest risk for the newborn. The pups shouldbe kept warm,free from drafts, away from other dogs, and the neighbors andtheir children.Healthy well-nourished pups should be quiet, eat and sleep (withsome jerkingduring REM) 90% of the time, gain weight daily after the first 2days, and showincreasing strength and body tone.
Each pup should gain 2 to 7 grams per dayper kilogram of anticipated adult bodyweight. By day 10 to 12 of age, their birthweight should double. This is anaverage of 1 to 3 oz per day per puppy asneonates.
Daily, you should also examine your bitch. Assess her appetite, waterconsumption, urination, stools, temperature, and attitude. Look at the color,character and volume of her vagin*l discharge. Take note of any unusual odor.Feel each mammary gland for texture and temperature (they should feel soft tofirm, never hard) and look at a few drops of milk from each nipple. Colostrum, thefirst milk, will be yellow and thick. After the first 2 days, the color and consistencyshould very closely resemble cows milk. Thick milk of any color other than whiteshould be noted. Report any abnormalities to your veterinarian. DO NOT STARTMEDICATIONS without consultation as some medications can harm the pups.
Post-Partum Examination:
Normal postpartum discharge is dark green forthe first 1 to 2 days, thenbecomes bloody. There is usually a lot of discharge forthe first 5 to 7 days. Itshould gradually decrease in volume and become thick andclear or gray by day10. Abnormal, excessive or foul smelling vagin*l dischargemay indicate aninfection, and you should consult your veterinarian. Postpartumcomplicationsinclude uterine infections, retained fetuses, retained placentas,poor return of theuterus to normal, mastitis, eclampsia (low blood calcium), andfetal death.
It is recommended to have the bitch and puppies examined within 24hours ofdelivery to assure there are no retained pups, that the mammary glandsarenormal, and to have the puppies examined for defects or illness. The first dayortwo after whelping, the bitch may be reluctant to eat and have diarrhea.Drinkingadequate fluids must be encouraged to assure adequate milkproduction. Themother’s diet should be a high quality puppy or performance foodto assureadequate consumption of calcium, protein, and calories. She will eat 2to 3 timesthe amount she ate prior to breeding. Adding salt to her food andincreasing thewater availability will help assure adequate milk production. Do notadministerany medications at this time without your veterinarians advice as manydrugs canpass through the milk and affect the puppies.
Taildocks And Dewlaws
Taildocks and/or dewclaw removal, if standard for your breed, aredone between3 and 5 days by your veterinarian.
From day 3 to day 16, werecommend the Early Neurologic Stimulation programby Carmen Battaglia beinstituted to help the pups grow up as tolerant well-adjustedadults.
By days 10 to 14, the pups ears and eyesare usually opening. If bulging of theeyelids (Neonatal Ophthalmia) is noted priorto the eyes opening, you shouldseek veterinary care at once. At this time, thepups become more aware of theirsurroundings. By 3 weeks, the pups arebecoming active.
Often, a runt pup is noted in the litter. It may help to direct thepup to nurse onone of the mammary glands between the back legs as these havethe most milk.Nutritional supplementation may also be indicated. (See our tube feeding page)Frequently, this pup will catch up by weaning time, and often thispup has themost spunk. This pup should not be destroyed.
Litter Registration:
This is the time to remember to submit litter registration papersto the AKC orother registry organization in order to receive the individual puppyregistrationpapers back in time for the puppy’s adoption.
Sick Newborns:
Themost common concerns we see in the newborn are fading pups (failure tothrive),diarrhea and constipation. The first place to start is to assess thesituation.Evaluate the puppy’s environment: are they too warm, too cold, dry,clean? Do thepups have a normal temperature (96-99 degrees)? Are theygaining weight? Howare their urine and stools? Do they feel dehydrated? Howis their body tone? Ismom feeling her best? If she is sick, has infectedmammary glands, a uterineinfection, or is not eating well, she cannot adequatelycare for the pups.
Once youhave done the assessment, it is now time to address the situation.Correct anyenvironmental issues. Supplement feed with a bottle or tube if thepups are weak,thin, weka, dehydrated, or not nursing ONLY IF they have arectal temperatureover 96 degrees. If they have diarrhea, feed 1-2 cc of activeculture yogurt and acouple of drops of KaoPectate. If they continue to havediarrhea, you may need toreduce their intake of milk for 1 to 2 feedings and/orsubstitute an electrolytesolution. If they are constipated, stimulate stool passageby rubbing the rectalarea with a warm wet cotton ball and give a few drops ofKaro syrup orally.Pediatric simethicone drops can be used under veterinarydirection if excess gasis noted.
Should this not resolve the problem within a few hours, or if the pups cryor mewexcessively, fail to gain weight, fail to suck, have bloody urine, havelaboredbreathing, have ongoing diarrhea, abdominal distension and pain,slough thetoes or tail tip, or do not appear to be thriving, seek veterinary advice.
Hand-Raising Puppies:
Unfortunately, not all puppies are lucky enough to beraised exclusively by theirmothers. The first 24 to 48 hours are the most critical forthe puppy to nurse. Thisis when the colostrum, the first milk, is produced.Colostrum contains high levelsof antibodies critical to the pup’s ability to resistinfectious diseases (bacterial orviral). Without this, the pups will be morevulnerable to contagious diseases.
If the pup is unable to nurse from it’s mother,the second best option is to findanother lactating bitch that will accept the pups.This surrogate mother canusually increase her milk supply within a few days torespond to the increaseddemand.
Plasma, available commercially, may be givento sick pups. This is useful inproviding antibodies and proteins to pups, and willsupport pups with a widevariety of illnesses. A total dose of 15 cc is required overa 24 hour period.
NO PUPPY SHOULD DIE OF STARVATION ORDEHYDRATION! If necessary,you may need to bottle or tube feed the pups.Pasteurized goat’s milk orcommercially available bitch milk substitutes makeexcellent supplements. In anemergency, a formula of 1 cup cow’s milk, 1 egg yolkand 1 tablespoon Karosyrup can be used temporarily. Puppies can ingest 20 cc(4 teaspoons) offormula per 16 oz of body weight per feeding. Pups can be fedwith anappropriate sized bottle if they will suck effectively. If not, they must betube fedwith a soft feeding catheter. With veterinary assistance, most owners canbetaught how to place the tube. This should not be attempted without instructionasthere are associated risks such as inhalation of the formula. The pups shouldnotbe fed or allowed to nurse if their rectal temperature is not between 96 and99° F.
Whether bottle or tube feeding, pups should be fed at least 4 times daily,preferably every 3 to 4 hours. Less frequent feedings or cow’s milk formulas willguarantee diarrhea, weight loss and unthrifty pups.
For the first 2 weeks of life,after feeding, the pups should be stimulated tourinate and defecate by rubbingthe area between the back legs with a warm wetcotton ball. This simulates themother’s clean-up efforts.
At three weeks, or if the pups are orphaned at this age,a gruel of EukanubaWeaning Formula® or high quality softened small breedpuppy food can be madeand the pups handled as if they were being weaned.Orphaned pups should beimmunized at a younger age than other pups. Hand-raising pups is timeconsumingand an enormous amount of work but can be veryrewarding whensuccessful.
Thanks to Dr. Marty Greer for sharing this valuable content from her Breeder’s Library
Her book “Canine Reproduction & Neonatology” is invaluable to breeders and is available on Amazon.
